Windshield cleaner



April 1o, 192s.

- V. SCA LZO WINDSHIELD CLEANER Filed Avril 19. 1927 nmntoc Vina. Erft E "Lz :l

Gramm;

Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES VINCENT SCALZO, OF IPITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

WINDSHIELD CLENER.

Application filed April Thepresent invention relates to cleaning devices for use in cleaning glass surfaces, and more specilically to an improved cleaner for use in removing dust and the like from the windshields of motor vehicles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved type of heated windshield cleaner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of windshield cleaner embodying means whereby the device may be heated for the eiective removal of snow and ice from the windshield when driving in inclement weather.

further object of the invention is to provide a novel type and improved type of electrically heated Windshield cleaner which may be readily -attached to the usual arm of cleaner actuating -mechanisms as now in common use for movement of the cleaner across the surface to be cleaned.

A still further object ofthe invention is to provide an improved electrically heated windshield cleaner which will be of extremely light yet durable construction and one wherein the heating medium or element is readily removable from its carrier portion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved electrically heated windshield cleaner embodying a novel arrangement whereby the heat is eEectively directed toward the glass over which the cleaner is moving without any likelihood of the heat becoming too great and resulting in possible breaking of the glass.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will be 'apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, y.

forming a part of this specification and in which` drawing:

Figure 1 is a central'longitudinal section thru the improved cleaner and showing thel manner in which the same may be mounted upon an arm of `the conventional type of cleaner actuating means.

Figure 2 is a plan view looking at the inner open side of the cleaner and showing fragmentary portions broken away for' illustrating certain details of construction.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of the outer end of the back 'orframe of they cleaner and showing the closure cap for closing the outer end of therame. e,

-Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

1927. vserial No. 184,957.

till

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nate `corresponding parts thruout the several views, the improved cleaner is shown as embodying a 'loackor frame A provided with spaced wiping elements B, and a removable heating medium C.

Referring first to the construction of the back or `frame A, the sam'evis preferably formed from sheet m'etal of a suitable grade Jformed to provide arcuate outwardly bulged longitudinal side walls 10 forming a substantially tubular housing extending thruout the length of the frame. The inner or free edges of the walls 10 are bent to provide parallel longitudinal attaching flanges 11 which also extend thruout the length of the back. These longitudinal flanges 11 are suitably spaced lfrom one another for forming the longitudinally extending opening as at 12, and it is preferred that the flanges have a normal tendency to spring toward one another so as to afford a proper gripping action upon the heating medium C. The metal at the outer or connecting ends of the side walls 10 is bulged outwardly for forming a ch-annel-like rib 14 which also extends thruout the lengthy of the back A, and this rib aside. from serving a function to be subsequently explained, further acts as a reinforcing means for the elongated frame.

Thusit will be seen that )the body portion ot' the back or frame A may be easily formed from a rectangular shaped piece o sheet material for formation of the substantially tubular way 15 being open at its inner side and closed at its outer side by the longitudinally extending channel-like rib 14,-. rlihe inner end of the open way 15 is preferably closed by means of a flat cap plate 16 of a conguration conforming to the end formation of the back, and which cap plate is provided at its ,inner edge with inwardly extending apertured ears 17 which are adapted to be secured to the flanges 11 as by means of suitable rivets 18` .preferably having counter-sunk heads at their connections y.

with the flanges 11. The cap plate 16 aside from providing a closure for the inner end oi the way 15 also serves as a positive spacing means for the inner ends of thetlanges A U-shaped attaching clip 18 is preferably riveted to the walls 10 at their juncture with the rib 14, and preferably at the longitudinal center of' the 'frame as illustrated in Figure 1. This U-shaped clip 18 is aperturedJas at 19 for receiving a suitable wing nut 2O whereby the arms of the clip may be vrigidly clamped about an actuating arm 21 of a suitable cleaner operating mechanism. The arm 21-may have movement imparted thereto in any suitable manner for movement of the cleaner across the windshield' eitherin an arcuate path or for movement of the cleaner transversely across the windshield. The wiping elements B, and one of whic is intended to be carried by each of the spaced flanges 11, eachiembodies a U-shapedv carrier portion 23 adapted to be clamped about one longitudinalv edge of suitable wiper blades 24 formed of any suitable material such as rubber or cloth. The wiping elements B are secured longitudinally at the outer face of each of the flanges 11 as by means of suitable bolts and nuts 25, and as will be observed, the wiping elements are i adapted to be readily removablev from the frame A, embodies. an elongated core 28 of insulating material such as porcelain or the like, and which core is of tubular formation and provided with a longitudinally extending slot 29 which extends thruout the entire length of the core. The outer end of the core 28 is externally enlarged as 'at 30 for forming suitable bosses which will engage the outer end of the frame A for limiting inward movement of the core within the tubular wa 15. Asr will be observed Iin Figure 1, t e core 28 is of less length than the frame A .and thus when the bosses 30 v engage the outer end of the frame, the inner `in Figure 4. The core 28 is intended to serve as a suitable carrier for a heating element 35 preferably in the form of a resistance wire being crimped intermediate its ends as at 36. This wire heating element 35 extends thruout the length of the core 28 and is attached at its inner end to a suitable bolt 37 mounted yin suitable, insulating washers 38, and at its outer end attached to a suitable bolt 39 mounted in suitable insulating washers 40. Thesebolts 37 and 39 serve as terminal binding posts for electrical conductors 41 and 42 respectively, and which conductors may pass thru a suitable switch to a source of electrical energy such as the battery of the vehicle.

The conductor 42 is connected to the bolt 39 at the outer end of the core, while the conductor l.t1-extends lon itudinally of and externally' of the core or attachment to the bolt 37 at the inner end of the core. rlhusfit will be seen that when the heater is inserted into the frame A, that the channellike ribv 14 provides a space for accommodating that portion of the conductor 41 whichfextends longitudinally of and externally of thecore 28. When the heater is inserted in the frame A with the conductor 41 in the channel rib 14 and the bosses 30 engaging the outer end of the frame, the yieldable walls 10 of the frame will grip the core 28 sulliciently for preventing rotation of the core or movement of the core longitudinally out of the frame.

The object in socrimping the resistance wire 35 at the longitudinal center of the core 28 is to provide more heating area at the center of the cleaner for effectively cleaning snow and ice from the windshield without excessive heating of the conductors 41 and 42 at their connections with the terminal bolts 37 and 39. As will be observedzin Figures 1 and 4, the flanges 11 and wiper blades 24 will cause the heat from the wire 35 to be directed thru the opening 12 and thus spaces the wire a sulliacient distance from the Windshield as to eliminate possibility of the glass being heated to a degree'whereby the glass would be apt to crack. c

As will be seen, when the cleaner is moved across the windshield by means of the arm 21, that heat from the element 35 will serve to effectively remove snow and ice from the windshield glass and thus allow the operator to have a clear vision thru the windshield.

Byoso-having the heating medium C so' ing medium readi ly removable from the frame for the ready making of repairs, and which supporting frame is of such novel construction asto allow for the current conducting wires to be readily attached at opposite ends of the heating medium and not,

materially affected by the heat generated by the heating element. y

Changes in the shape, size, and arrangement 'of parts may be made to the specih'c form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims. ,i

claim:

l. A windshield cleaner comprising a channel-like frame having yieldable outwardly curved side walls provided at their free edges with flanges extending in spaced parallel relation, a wiping element carried by each flange, and a heating element having a tubular casing insertable into said frame between the yieldable side walls from one end thereof and having a longitudinally extending opening aligning between I'said flanges.

2. A windshield cleaner comprising an elongated resilient body of channel-like formation having a restricted opening and providing a pair ofA parallel spaced 'apart flanges, a wiping element carried by each flange, and a heating element embodying a tubular insulating core slidably fitting in the resilient body and provided with a loiigitudinally extending slot opening between said flanges, and a resistance wire extending longitudinally in the tubular insulating core.

3. A windshield cleaner comprising a sheet metal channel-like frame having outwardly bulged side walls forming at their l free edges a pair of parallel spaced apart flanges, a cap closing the inner end of the channel-like frame, a wiping element carried by each flange and each embodying a wiper blade projecting past the free edge of the flange, and a heating element having a core removably insertable into the channellike frame from the outer open end thereof and provided with a longitudinally extending slot openingbetween said flanges.

e. A windshield cleaner Ycomprising a channel-like frame formed with a pair f parallel spaced apart flanges extending longitudinally of the frame, elongated /wiping elements extending longitudinally of each flange, a single fastening element connecting each wiping element at` its longitudinal center to the longitudinal center of each flange, vand a heating element arranged in the frame and including a core having an elongated openlng aligning between said flanges.

providing outwardly bulged side walls conby each flange, an insulating core arranged l between ,the side walls with a slot opening between said flanges, and forming a longitudinally extending way at said rib, a hea-ting wire extending longitudinally within the core and connected with terminals at the inner and outer ends of the core, a conductor wire connected with the terminal at the outer end of the core, and a second conductor wire extending thru said way for connection with the terminal at the inner end of said core. i

6. A windshield cleaner comprising an elongated substantially tubular body having outwardly arcuated yieldable side walls connected at their outer edges by a hollow channel-like rib and having their inner converging edges spaced for providing parallel spaced apart flanges, a wiping element carried by each flange, and a heating element removably insertable into said body between said outwardly arcuated side Walls and having a conductor wire extending externally and longitudinally thereof for fitting in said hollow channel-like rib, said conductor having electrical connection with the inner end of the heating elementl l A windshield cleaner comprising a channel-like frame formed with a pair of parallel spaced apart flanges and provided with a longitudinally extending outwardly formed rib, a U-shaped attaching clip secured longitudinally of the frame with the arms thereof embracing said rib, a -wiping element carried by each flange and held in parallel spaced relation thereby, and an electric heating element embodying a longitudinally slotted core removably insertable into said frame from one end thereof and having a conductor terminal extending longitudinally at the interior thereof for fitting in said rib.

8. ln a windshield cleaner including a frame of channel-like formation for providing an open side, heating means for the cleaner embodying a tubular core insertable into said frame and provided withan enlarged outer end serving to limit movement of the core into the frame, said core being slotted longitudinally with the slot being adapted to align with the open side of the channel-like frame, a resistance wire extending longitudinally within the core and mounted at opposite ends in inner and outer terminal bolts, andY a conductor wire connected with each terminal bolt for heating of the resistance by the passage Fof an electric current theretliru.v Y

9. ln a heated windshield cleaner embodying an open sided frame, and wiping elellO nally of the frame at the open side thereof5 a tubular insulating core removably insertable into the frame from one end thereof and provided With a longitudinally eXtending slot for alignin with the openY side of the frame between t e wiping elements, and an electrically heated resistance wire extending longitudinally within the core.

l0. In a heating element for windshield l0 cleaners including an open sided frame and wiping elements carried in spaced relation A .the core, terminal bolts carried by the washers at'each end of the core, and a heating wire connected at its opposite ends to the terminal bolts and provided midway of its ends with a erimped portion.

VllNCENT SCALZO. 

